New York Blames Crime Rate Increase on Apple

Major crime rates are up in New York City, and it's Apple's fault. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Friday that the slight increase in the city's crime rate for 2012 was due to the number of stolen iPhones and iPads.

iPhone and iPad thefts drive up NYC crime rate

So far the police department's major crimes count for the year is up 3,484, and the number of Apple device thefts is up 3,890 -- or more than the total increase in annual crimes.

Mayor Bloomberg said criminals have a preference for Apple's products and suggested hiding them, or at least making them more difficult to grab, when in public. "Put it in a pocket in sort of a more body-fitting, tighter clothes, that you can feel if it was — if somebody put their hand in your pocket, not just an outside coat pocket," he said.

Overall, New York City has recorded 108,432 major crimes so far in 2012, up 3.3 percent from 2011, hinting that the iPhone and iPad are popular with criminals as well as consumers.

"If you just took away the jump in Apple, we'd be down for the year," added Mayor Press secretary Marc La Vorgna.

Sigh. He meant to say “If you took away all of the extra people stealing other people’s stuff, we’d be down for the year.” I like Bloomberg, but he just does not believe in personal responsibility at all.

In other news, the recent spree of homicides related to the subways is being blamed on the subway trains….

cb50dc1:08 PM EST, Dec. 28th, 2012Guest

This is simply an incorrect, misleading headline.

Given the text reported, Bloomberg didn’t blame Apple at all. He simply pointed out the fact that Apple’s stuff *does* attract more thieves, and did remind people of common-sense tips to help minimize the chance of becoming a victim.

Anthony Triano2:53 PM EST, Dec. 28th, 2012Guest

I live in NYC, The Bronx, and the people to blame for this rise in theft are - idiot people who think that because they live in “Manhattan” things like thievery wont happen there!! NYC is VERY diverse and also sectioned off by economic class. There are people that think those economic class boarder lines are brick walls protecting them from the “animals” that come with Low Income Project Developments. They are sadly mistaken.

Thieves will steal what’s available. Didn’t Willie Sutton say that he robbed banks “because that’s where the money is”? iOS devices are very common, therefor they are commonly stolen. If Apple stuff wasn’t around they would steal Android stuff (assuming of course Android even existed). The most stolen car brand is Honda. Is he going to say that car thefts would be down if it weren’t for Honda? It’s stupid for him to even bring brand into the debate.

Bloomberg is just trying to obfuscate a rise in personal crime. This is a political statement and like most political statements it has nothing to do with the real world.

b9bot3:03 PM EST, Dec. 28th, 2012Guest

Sure why not, everything seems to be Apple’s fault. Maybe the Mayor should do his job and hire more policemen to fight the crime instead of making up STUPID EXCUSES like this one. Pitiful!

In all fairness, there is a massive market for second-hand Apple devices (as Lee Dronick says here). Thieves know quite well what sells and what doesn’t. Ever since the emergence of the original (“classic”) iPod, it has been the prime target for pick pockets. It is not worth taking a risk and stealing some Sansa MP3 player, which you’ll likely struggle to unload for $20, when the same amount of effort can get you a $200 iPod touch, for which you could easily get $100 or more. Same thing with phones; Android ones (such as my LG Optimus) barely ever get more than $100, while any Apple phone will get you at least $300 (and some over $500!).

Thieves have discovered much simpler way to get prized loot. I have no doubt that Bloomberg is in fact right and that this rise in theft can be attributed to the significant increase of easy access to Apple devices for thieves.

“I have no doubt that Bloomberg is in fact right and that this rise in theft can be attributed to the significant increase of easy access to Apple devices for thieves.”

The Mayor also talked about securing your device. How often do you see an iPhone or whatever sitting on a cafe table or store counter. A team of thieves can come around, one distracts you and the other lifts the iPhone. Purses, open or closed, are often left in shopping carts while the woman turns her back to look at an item.

Here in San Diego there has been cases of youth on youth strong arm robbery where an iPhone was taken. I don’t know the actual number or percentage of that, but I hear it on the news every so often.

“Bloomberg is just trying to obfuscate a rise in personal crime. This is a political statement and like most political statements it has nothing to do with the real world.”

Not in all “personal crime,” my friend. Also in the news today was the story that ‘2012 Sets All-Time Record for Fewest Murders and Fewest Shootings in NYC History.’ In NYC History! In view of recent events, that’s a much bigger story than some people who can’t take care of their iCrap.